Graduate Research Papers

Availability

Open Access Graduate Research Paper

Keywords

Creative writing (Primary education); Picture books for children -- Educational aspects;

Abstract

Beginning a written composition is a difficult task. Anyone who has ever , attempted to create a piece of writing can identify with this statement. Whether it is a blank piece of paper or a blank computer screen, getting started on a piece of writing is often the hardest part. 1 The first sentence of this paper encompasses my own struggles as a writer, even with this composition. I tried to imagine how much greater this must be felt as I observed first graders wrestle with how to begin their own writing. Even for adults, thinking of the first sentence can be excruciating. How much more is this frustration felt by a first grader whose vocabulary is limited, who has less experience to draw upon for ideas, and who is just beginning to learn all the conventions of writing? This question stemmed from my observations of one first grade class, when I was working as a classroom assistant with a specific focus on literacy. As these students worked their way through the various stages I of the writing process (Graves, 1983), it seemed that the biggest hurdle was writing the first sentence or two. Despite this difficulty, I wanted the students to feel comfortable with putting their ideas down on paper, because each time they go through the writing process, it helps them improve their writing ability (Kostelnik, Soderman, & Whiren, J, 1999). I began to ask myself, "How can I help these students get their ideas down on paper?"

Year of Submission

2004

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Education

Department

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

First Advisor

Deborah Tidwell

Second Advisor

Linda May Fitzgerald

Comments

If you are the rightful copyright holder of this graduate research paper and wish to have it removed from the Open Access Collection, please submit a request to scholarworks@uni.edu and include clear identification of the work, preferably with the URL.

Date Original

2004

Object Description

1 PDF file (98 leaves)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Share

COinS